SUMMARY

Earlier this week, The Hershey Company announced that it is returning all of its classic brands to earlier milk and dark chocolate recipes. The move comes amid a growing backlash over the recipe changes and the use of chocolate alternatives in some of its candies.

View the transcript of the story.

NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?

News alternative: Check out recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

1. What is driving the rising cocoa prices?
2. When did prices hit a record high?
3. Where is most cocoa grown?
4. Why have major chocolate brands, like Hershey, started to use less cocoa in their products, and what have they used instead?
5. Who is Brad Reese, and what was his response to Hershey's use of cocoa butter substitutes in their products?

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• After watching this segment, do you think other major chocolate companies will follow Hershey and reduce their use of chocolate alternatives?
• What is the importance of brand image and trust, and how does that impact companies' profit-driven models?

Media literacy:

• Do you think the story should have talked about climate change more? It was included in the title of the original broadcast piece ("Candy makers quietly change recipes as climate change hits cocoa industry") and mentioned just once in the story itself? Why or why not?
• The PBS News Hour segment includes interviews from everyday consumers to professional researchers, and even the grandson of the creator of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Why do you think the producers chose to include these individuals or groups? Do you think it is important to get a diversity of opinions on a topic? Explain.

WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO

• Explore how cocoa is grown and learn how African farmers are too often exploited in the production of chocolate by listening to this NPR segment, The Bitter History of Chocolate. (Thank you, Dr. Miller, for the suggestion!)
• In the PBS News Hour segment, Deema Zein explained that a New York Times investigation found major chocolate brands were using less cocoa in their products and that popular candies like Rolo's, Almond Joy and Mr. Goodbar had quietly dropped the term milk chocolate from their labels. Under FDA guidelines, candy labeled "milk chocolate" must be at least 10 percent chocolate liquor, a liquid made from cocoa beans that contains cocoa butter. When it drops below 10 percent, companies have swapped in terms like "chocolate candy" and "chocolatey," a subtle shift that most consumers won't notice.
  • Richard Hartel, a food science professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, who has studied chocolate for 35 years, reveals that the industry-standard replacement for cocoa butter is palm kernel oil.
  • Go to the Hershey's website linked here and check out the nutritional facts and ingredient lists for their products.
    • As an example, see below the list of ingredients in an Almond Joy candy bar:
    • Corn Syrup
    • Sugar
    • Coconut
    • PGPR (ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR) (Palm Oil, Shea Oil, Sunflower Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Safflower Oil)
    • Almonds
    • Lactose
    • Contains 2% or Less of:
    • Reduced Protein Whey
    • Chocolate
    • Cocoa
    • Skim Milk
    • Cocoa Processed With Alkali
    • Whey
    • Salt
    • Lecithin
    • Vanillin (ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR)
    • Hydrolyzed Milk Protein
    • Sodium Metabisulfite (TO MAINTAIN FRESHNESS)

What observations can you make? Were there any ingredients that surprised you? Was there information about their products that made you want to ask more questions? If so, provide an example or two.

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